After being betrayed by his partner Tom Zenk last weekend, Phil Lafon has quickly reformed the Can-Am Express with the big Tennessee Volunteer Doug Furnas. The pair worked as though they had been teaming together their whole lives, swiftly tagging in and out and blending the strength of Furnas with the technical expertise of of Lafon before polishing off Bolton with the dropkick-Cobra Clutch Suplex combo. It looks like Lafon has landed on his feet with his new partner.

Interview : Ken Resnick stands in the ring

Resnick : Ladies and gentleman, my next guests are the former AWA World Tag Team champions … Playboy After Dark!

The crowd boos as all of Playboy After Dark make their way to the ring, not just Buddy Rose and Doug Somers, but also Leo Burke and the mysterious masked man in military fatigues who first appeared last week. Rose has a look on his face that is incredibly self-satisfied, even for him.

Rose : I didn’t particularly care for your snooty tone when you said *former* champions, Resnick. You might want to mind your manners, or I will have to ask my friend to give you a little lesson, just like we taught Sgt. Laughter!

Resnick : That’s just why I want to talk to you, Buddy Rose! You challenged Sgt. *Slaughter* to a match on the condition that there would be no members of the Cobra Corps and Playboy After Dark at ringside. Then this masked man comes out of nowhere and attacks Sarge! Who is he and what gives?

Rose : Ah, that just proved I am a better tactician than that so called Sergeant! You see, I had long suspected that Slaughter wasn’t what he claimed to be. His actions were never what you would expect of a so-called American hero. Then I found out the truth about him from the best possible source : a top special forces operative who had been investigating him. A military master of stealth and subterfuge so brilliant, he managed to conduct this investigation right under my incredibly handsome nose, without anyone suspecting who he was. Why, this guy is almost as much of a genius as me! And when he revealed to me who he really was, I knew I had just the man to show up Slaughter for the Great American Phony he truly is. He dropped his mask to me, and now he will drop it to all of you. Slaughter, meet your worst nightmare … (the man peels off his mask) Col. Debeers!

Resnick : Wait a second, that’s Ed Wisk-

Rose : Don’t say that name! That was just an incredible disguise that he used so he could observe Slaughter without him suspecting. And all of you idiots bought it! Now he is dropping the cover, and nothing is stopping him coming for him.

Resnick : *muttering* I’m telling you, it’s Ed Wisk-

Debeers : *grabbing Resnick by the scruff of the neck* You were told not to use that name, Resnick. Don’t make me tell you again. Slaughter! I’ve completed my investigation and I know the truth about you. You are a coward and a disgrace to the armed forces. I am here to show you up for the fraud that you are and run you out of the AWA with your tail between your legs. This is war , Slaughter! And it is a war that you won’t survive!

Ron Garvin & The Youngbloods vs. Chris Adams & The British Bullies

Ever since his return to the AWA, Garvin has established a reputation as everyone’s friend, readily lending a hand to everybody from the World Champion Ricky Steamboat to rookies like Wellington and Blackman. Adams, on the other hand, has been waging an ongoing campaign to regain respect, determined to show that he can win his matches without interference or other shortcuts and , by extension, prove he is worthy of another shot at Garvin’s Canadian title. Adams fought hard to prove himself in this match, digging into his deep technical and martial arts skills to keep himself in control for much of the bout. Blackman was able to rally for his team and had Adams lined up for the bicycle kick, but as he was coming off the ropes, Adams’ manager Sheikh Adnan Al-Kaissie reached in the ring and tripped him. When Blackman stumbled, Adams nailed him with the Superkick and went for the cover. The ref, however, saw Kaissie’s interference and called for the bell, signaling for a DQ victory for Garvin and the Youngbloods. When Adams realized what had happened, he looked like he was going to lose his mind and started to argue with his manager. Kaissie told him that he did what he judged to be necessary, and ordered him to return to the locker room with the rest of the Bullies. Adams acquiesced , but was clearly not happy about it.

Mando Guerrero vs. Shane Douglas

Speaking of people looking to prove themselves, young Shane Douglas has been on a quest to establish himself against the Guerreros. His first match with them two weeks ago, against Chavo, ended in a close loss for him, but last week he went the distance in a 15 minute time limit draw against Hector. In spite of that, the Guerreros were still not taking him seriously, with Mando telling his brothers to go back to the locker room, since he wouldn’t need any help in taking care of the rookie. Douglas did not let this lack of respect distract him, and worked hard to stay competitive throughout the match. Whenever it looked like he might lose his cool, his mentor Bill Dundee knew just what to say to calm him down and get him focused back on the match. Shane was able to get Mando in place for a belly to belly suplex, but as he had done in recent tag matches, Mando blocked it and reversed to set him up for a German Suplex. However, this all turned out to be a trap by Douglas, who was able to reverse one more time for a rollup. One … two … THREE! Mando was in shock but Douglas was jubilant, celebrating this impressive victory with Dundee as the crowd cheered.

Interview : Ken Resnick stands (again) in the ring

Resnick : Ladies and gentlemen, my next guest are always the center of controversy here in the AWA … Kevin Sullivan and the Varsity Club!

The crowd explodes in boos as Sullivan heads out to the ring, followed by Mike Rotundo, Dan Spivey, Maxx Payne, Jeff Gaylord, and finally the latest member of the Varsity Club, Tom Zenk. There are some interesting expressions on the faces of some of the members of the Club : cockiness for Zenk, disgruntlement for Sullivan, and seemingly barely suppressed rage for Rotundo.

Resnick : Tom Zenk, you have been partners for a long time with Phil Lafon, but last week, out of nowhere, you betray him and leave him on his own against the Varsity Club! What gives?

Zenk : Resnick, you said it yourself. I have been partners for a long time with Lafon … too long. Waaaay too long, I have been carrying him around on my back. Ever since we came back to the AWA, any time I was on my own, I got the win. But when I have to team up with Lafon, he kept dragging me down. Well I’m done being his chump. He was always jealous because I was the strongest, smartest, most skilled and best looking member of the team. He can stick with that loser Doug Furnas. I’m going where I am appreciated. Kevin Sullivan has promised he would get me title opportunities I could never get with Lafon *camera shot of Rotundo grimacing in the background* and I am giving my loyalty to him!

Sullivan : That’s enough out of you, Resnick! Get lost, there’s Varsity Club business to discuss. (Resnick scuttles out of the ring, clearly glad to get away from the Club members) Now , it has come to my attention that somebody has not been happy with the way I have been running the Varsity Club! They have been questioning some of my decisions! (Sullivan paces back and forth before stopping in front of Mike Rotundo and jabbing a finger in his chest) You! Rotundo! If you have something you want to say to me, you can say it right now to my face!

Rotundo : Oh, I’ve got something to say , alright. When I joined the Varsity Club, you convinced me that I was joining an elite team of champions. Our code was that we were the best of the best. Well, you sold me a bill of goods! Then you start the Varsity Club Rush. You said that we were going to develop the next generation of superstars. The best of the best, you said! And I went out with them and trained them and guided them and did everything I could to help them. What did you do? You screamed, you bullied, you shouted, and then you ran them off! Leon White … Brian Pillman … Ron Simmons … Doug Furnas … we had some of the finest young athletes in North America, and you treated them like crap and kicked them out! And who was left that you decided to accept into the Varsity Club? A psychopath and a goon! (Maxx Payne and Jeff Gaylord look at each other, then look at Rotundo and scowl) And then , after all that effort to develop new talent, right out of nowhere you arbitrarily decide to bring in *this idiot*! No offense.

Zenk : (continuing to smirk) None taken.

Rotundo : How is he even Varsity? Did he even finish high school? (Zenk’s grin starts to fade a bit and he starts to tense up, clearly getting annoyed with Rotundo) Where is your elite wrestling group now? Spivey and I busted our tails to train the next class of premiere athletes, and instead you fill the Varsity Club with the dregs of wrestling … and I want to know why!

Sullivan : Why? WHY? Because I said so! Because they do what I tell them to! Because I can trust them to think like me! I said right from the beginning, I was looking to find who had the right mind set and who had what it takes to work for me. And these guys have it … and I’m starting to think you don’t! But since you are questioning my leadership, let’s put it to a vote. Anybody who thinks Rotundo is right, stand with him. Anyone who chooses to accept my leadership, stand with me!

The members of Death Sentence don’t need to think about it, they line up behind Sullivan. Zenk smugly moves to join them. Spivey looks first at one side, then the other, then shrugged and steps over to Sullivan’s side, behind Death Sentence. Rotundo looked disappointed, but still determined, and raised his fists , ready to take on whatever Sullivan and his crew were going to throw at him. Then Spivey ran the ringropes … and clotheslined Gaylord and Payne in the back of the head! Spivey and Rotundo then threw all of the other members of the Varsity Club out of the ring, and played King of the Mountain, giving a swift boot to anyone who tried to enter the ring. The show then went to commercial with Spivey and Rotundo standing tall in the middle of the ring, while Sullivan was swearing vengeance.

Roddy Piper vs. Cactus Jack

The various members of Piper’s Pit have been trying to get the better of the New Mexico Madman, but the wily Cactus has proved hard to keep down, getting some upset victories. This time out the boss was taking matters into his own hands, and the one man possibly crazier than Cactus himself was going to try to put a stop to him. The match was just as insane as you could imagine, with the two lunatics brawling all over the ring as well as ringside. It was during one of these spells outside that Cactus had Piper lined up to come off the ring apron with a flip plancha, when out of nowhere, somebody tackled Cactus from behind and threw him to the floor. While the ref called for the DQ, Piper and this mysterious stranger proceeded to beat the stew out of Cactus. Jake Roberts and Nord The Barbarian tried to run out to save him, but were intercepted by Bob Orton and Buzz Sawyer. When they finally managed to fight their way through, the damage had been done and Jack had taken a lot of damage. Piper left cackling with glee, as his strange new cohort glowered silently.

Wow! GREAT introduction for Sabu. I marked out when I scrolled down and saw that picture. He definitely seems like a guy who will fit right in to the Snake Pit vs Pipers Pit feud.

I think that if you just threw out Rotundo & Spivey vs Gaylord, Payne, & Zenk w/Sullivan as a match with no background, I wouldn't much care... but with all this build and storytelling behind it, I am all in and can't wait to see what's next. I think that's what you might call good booking!

Can-Ams vs Varsity Club has some story behing it as well now...

Plus we get DeBeers vs Sarge, Adams vs Sheikh Adnan Al-Kaissie, and Douglas vs the Guerreros all in different stages of story development. Way to keep things interesting!

Wisk- I mean DeBeers coming after Sarge is great. Adams will be flying solo soon. Spivey and Rotundo against the Varsity Club has a lot of promise. Douglas gets a big win over a Guerrero, but I imagine there is payback on the way in a tag or six-man. Loved the intro for Sabu and he's in an environment where he will thrive.

DeBeers is the perfect foil for Slaughter. Great move by the Playboy. Love Furnas and Lafon officially coming together. What a segment by the Varsity Club! The US Express coming together and taking out the Varsity Club. Awesome TV moment. Douglas gets a huge win over Mando. Piper and Cactus go at it in an all out brawl. Then Sabu shows up! Oh man, things are getting out of control in the AWA.

The surprise partner turned out to be Brian Pillman. An action packed bout which ended when Pillman hit Sullivan with a flying dropkick after Rotundo and Spivey clotheslined the members of Death Sentence out of the ring to get the victory for the former Club members

Loving the Pat Tanaka push. Seattle got a nice look at a lot of the big time feuds going on in the AWA. Piper vs. Jake tag will almost always be the one I wished I had been there for the most. Pillman getting a pin on Sullivan is big.

In a match with a lot of brutal shots and punches as well as submission work, Garvin was able to make Jones give up to the figure four

Steven Regal vs. Leo Burke

Regal was able to pin Burke with the Regal Plex

Shane Douglas vs. Chris Adams

A back and forth match that ended with Shane going down to the Superkick. After the match, Adams raised Shane’s arm as a show of respect

Sgt. Slaughter vs. Col. Debeers

Both men went to a double countout when brawling at ringside

Jake Roberts vs. Roddy Piper

Roberts had Piper almost set up for the DDT, but got distracted by Cactus Jack being attacked at ringside by Piper’s new ally, and Piper capitalized with a roll up assisted by grabbing the ropes to get the tainted pinfall

Two great cards! Zenk continues his winning ways. SpiveyMania is still running wild. Pillman is on fire, getting the pin in the 6 man tag and getting a HUGE victory over Orton. Piper's new ally seems to be helping him out quite a bit. I wonder how Jake will counter this? Slaughter and DeBeers should be a hot feud. Kabuki and Blackwell is a feud I have enjoyed tremendously. The Steamboat/Bock draw is all kinds of awesomeness. Tanaka's run with the Southern title is great.

Fun cards here and I thought you did a great job of keeping your angles moving in the right direction like Sgt and DeBeers being counted out. You also kept your people are the rise white hot like Zenk and Pillman

Great cards for the often-overlooked fans in the Pacific Northwest. I wish that the Seattle card had happened for real back then. I could have driven down with my friends and made a party of it. We would have marked out like crazy!

Thunder vs. Patera & Blackwell had to be a Hell of a match. Douglas and Pillman both with big singles wins over Guerreros. Dundee and Orton is a great veteran match-up. Spivey continues to exceed expectations. Tanaka and Finlay is my match of the night though.

I love how you have taken guys who many thought would succeed if given a bigger role, and actually put them into a bigger role. If I was running a company right now I'd be willing to pay top dollar for the likes of Al Perez, Dan Spivey, and Pat Tanaka. And I feel like you have put them in a position that I think they would be adjusted to working main event programs right now. Excellent work.

Yea, Pillman and Chavo is all kinds of excitement. Patera and Blackwell get a nice win over Rocky Mountain Thunder. Orton gets back on track with a victory over Dundee. I'm sure Tanaka fought hard for that win over Finley. Man that poor Ref, taking the Execution. Once again SpiveyMania runs wild, this time over Larry Z.